Tanthulthud
Population: 11,400 (90% Dwarves, 10% Svirfneblin,) Government: Council of Clans Religions: Moradin, Callarduran Smoothhands Imports: Grain, Meat, Vegetables Exports: Ore, Weapons, Armors, Jewelry, Coal Life and Society The Dwarves of Tanthulthud live in a well-structured society held together by a caste system. Unlike many caste systems, there is a certain degree of social mobility. At the top of the triangle of society- least numerous but most powerful- is the ‘''Ae''’ caste, which means ‘Gold’ in the Dwarven language. Members of the ‘''Ae''’ cast are generally influential nobles who go on to rule as clan leaders, judges, ministers, and other kinds of governmental positions. Members of the ‘''Ae''’ caste are also priests of Moradin. The next caste is the ‘''Alagh''’ caste, which means ‘Battle Glory’ in the language of the Dwarves. The ‘''Alagh''’ caste is composed of warriors, who fight specifically on behalf of their clan, and the city itself. Members of lower castes, during times of emergency, are temporarily made part of the ‘''Alagh''’ caste. Those who distinguish themselves are allowed to stay ‘''Alagh''’, while those who do not return to their lives before being called on. The next caste is the ‘''Barak''’ caste, which means ‘Backbone’ in the Dwarven language. The ‘''Barak''’ caste is mostly composed of laymen and women, who serve as merchants, miners, smiths, apothecaries, herbalists, farmers, and all other sorts of mundane jobs. The ‘''Barak''’ caste makes up most of the population of Tanthulthud. The final, lowest caste is the ‘''Calass''’ caste, which means ‘Untrustworthy Ones’ in the language of the Dwarves. Nobody is born into the ‘''Calass''’ caste, but upon being found guilty of a sufficient enough crime, one becomes a member of the caste. Members of the ‘''Calass''’ caste are exiled from Tanthulthud, and are shunned and ignored if encountered outside of the settlement. All in all, most Tanthulthudian Dwarves are fairly dour and inflexible. They prefer plain, functional, sturdy clothes to the less utilitarian, fancier, more fashionable clothing styles worn elsewhere, by other races. They prefer bland, easy-to-prepare, nutritional food to the fancier, tastier, more difficult to prepare dishes that are eaten elsewhere, by other races. This is not to say that these Dwarves do not have pride. In fact, almost the opposite is true. In general, they are highly prideful and vain of their own crafts, disdaining most things produced elsewhere as inferior. Weapons and armor crafted by the smiths of Tanthulthud are almost always of exceptional quality. Many believe these items- such as weapons, armor, or shields- to be devoid of ornamentation, but in reality, this is not true. The ornamentation on such items are simply by Dwarven standards. Thus, what a Human might see as a few lines, a Dwarf might see in a completely different light. Because of their relative isolation, the Dwarves (and Svirfneblin) of Tanthulthud are generally xenophobic, ethnocentric, and/or nationalistic. They are dour towards outsiders, and do not trust them unless given a reason to. Individuals, after much deliberation and discussion, are sometimes given the title ‘''Samryn''’, which means ‘Trustworthy’, and are afterwards viewed as honorary Tanthulthudian Dwarves. All Svirfneblin automatically have this title conferred upon them upon birth. Though the Svirfneblin have been living with the Dwarves of Tanthalthud for thousands of years, they have, more or less, assimilated into the Dwarven way of living, preserving very few of the traditions they brought with them when they first fled to Tanthalthud. Perhaps the most enduring of the legacies that the Deep Gnomes brought with them is the brewing of ‘Deep Wine’, a very potent alcohol made of fermented mushrooms and conservative amounts finely grounded gemstones. Magic is something that is generally both respected and regarded suspiciously. Since Dwarves are unable to utilize Arcane magic, the few Arcane magicians found in the city are Svirfneblin. As a result, since Divine magic is not conducive to creating magical items, overt displays of magic throughout the city are slim and few in-between. Over the centuries, the residents of the city have devised various ways of overcoming this shortcoming, however. Dwarvencraft weapons, armors, and items, crafted by ingenious artisans, use mundane objects to mimic magical effects. For example, vials with mixed liquids that cause chemical reactions that form light for long periods of time are used light the dark halls of the city, in lieu of things like everburning torches, or permanent Light spells. Major Organizations Council of Clans Cragtop Archery Corps Order of Stalwart Defenders Major Geographical Features Tanthulthud is built within a single peak of the Blackroot Mountains, Mount Ogirin, which translates from Dwarven as ‘Large Mountainhold’. Various tunnels, many natural and many artificial, lead into Tanthulthud from the surface of Mount Ogirin itself. Many tunnels, some natural and some artificial, lead into Tanthulthud from the Underdark as well. The city itself is quite large, taking up nearly all of the space within Mount Ogirin. It is split into three vertical levels, known as quadrants- the Upper Quadrant, the Middle Quadrant, and the Lower Quadrant. The Upper Quadrant is where most business takes place in the city. Various shops, guildhalls, schools and temples can be found here. Tanthalthud’s Council of Elders also meets in the Upper Quadrant. By and large, the Upper Quadrant of Tanthulthud is where most activity takes place. The Middle Quadrant is where most residents of the city live. The Middle Quadrant is primarily composed of residential homes, though a few businesses, temples and schools can be found within the Middle Quadrant. The Middle Quadrant was chosen by the original architects of the city as to allow a buffer between threats from above, and below. The Lower Quadrant is where most industrial pursuits take place. Most smiths and miners ply their trade in the Lower Quadrant. The upper levels of the Lower Quadrant are technically above ground, above sea level, but the lower levels of the Lower Quadrant are technically below the ground, below sea level, in the Underdark. The Lower Quadrant is always hot, from the many furnaces perpetually burning, and sooty, from the mining going on. Only the poorest residents of Tanthulthud live in the Lower Quadrant. Below the Lower Quadrant lie the ‘Lost Levels’, as they are known. The Tanthultud of today is generally weaker than the Tanthulthud of years past, when the Dwarven city was more of a player in world politics. Abandoned levels exist beneath the Lower Quadrant, where residents of the city-state of years past labored, lived, and conducted all other kinds of activities. Because of the smaller population and political influence in the greater world of Tanthulthud, the Lost Levels slowly depopulated and were abandoned, reclaimed by the Underdark. The Lost Levels are dangerous, and are more or less wild Underdark, though they were once part of the city-state. Important Sites Cavern of Perpetual Song The Runehall The Hall of Kings Regional History Tanthalthud was founded in –4,350, when ten different clans of wandering Dwarves banned together for mutual protection, and decided to settle in one place, as opposed to being the nomadic wanders in the Underdark they had been. Of these ten original Dwarven clans- Clans Goblinaxe, Grayheart, Rockblade, Spiderkiller, Swordforger, Stonecheek, Dragonhewer, Orcbane, Metalforger, and Fardigger- some remain, while others have folded and been incorporated into other Dwarven clans. Slowly, the Dwarves carved out their realm within Mount Ogirin. It was an enormous undertaking, and architects, miners, engineers, and others, would labor away for centuries, the city expanding as its population and influence in the outside world grew. Initially, the founding clans of the city ruled jointly, in a council, but it soon became apparent that, with each clan having its own interests and goals, the fledgling city-state would not be able to survive if there was no clear leader or direction for the city to take. Several priests and priestesses of Moradin, the Dwarf-Father, supposedly received dreams from their god in which he commanded them to install Forn Fardigger, leader of Clan Fardigger, as King of Tanthulthud. Initially, this was met by a great deal of opposition from rival clan leaders, but they soon became convinced by Moradin’s clergy. In UC –4,015, Forn Fardigger was formally installed as the first King of Tanthulthud. Shortly after King Forn was installed, he would govern the city through its first crisis. In UC –4,012, scouts on the surface captured a caravan of Elves who were passing extremely close to Mount Ogirin. Used to the brutal world of the Underdark, the scout captain jumped the gun, and executed all but one of the Elves in the caravan, citing that they were advance scouts to invade Tanthalthud. In reality, the Elves were simply traveling to Ninthrill Forest, to depart to the Elven Enclave. Realizing the diplomatic error, King Forn released the solitary survivor, a child named Anya Springleaf, along with his profuse apologies to the Elves of the Great Forest. His words were not well received by the Wood Elves, who declared war on the Dwarven realm, sparking the Great Elven-Dwarven War From UC –5,012 to UC –4,990, various clans of Wood Elves of the Great Forest and the Dwarves of Tanthalthud did battle. Casualties were not very high on either side, because of the Dwarves’ unwillingness to do battle on the Elves’ terms, and the Elves’ unwillingness to do battle on the Dwarves’ terms. Finally, in –4,990, a truce was signed between the two nations, and the formal conflict ended. That is not to say that there weren’t casualties, however. In UC –5,000, the forces of the Elves wiped out an entire city of Human druids living on the shores of Sea of Mists. Their ghosts are said to linger in the area to the present day. Following the Great Elven-Dwarven War, the Dwarves exiled themselves from the surface world, deciding to eschew it for the Underdark. This self-imposed exile wasn’t complete- the city-state maintained ties to the surface world, such as trading, but such ventures were extremely minimal. As a result, the Dwarves tended to their own affairs, primarily, and hundreds of years passed without incident. During this time, the city expanded to encompass nearly all of Mount Orgirin, and would stretch deep into the Underdark below it. In UC –4,555, a small group of Svirfneblin, numbering fewer than two dozen, came to the city, having been guided by their deity, Callarduran Smoothhands, a friend and ally of Moradin on other worlds. The leader of these Gnomes, Noddec Blundyth, explained to the leaders of Tanthulthud that they had escaped the bondage of Ghurat, a powerful Dao who had enslaved them to mine for jewels on the Elemental Plane of Earth. Cael Dragonaxe, the King of Tanthulthud, took the exiled Svirfneblin into his realm, and offered them protection. Shortly thereafter, representatives for Ghurat came to the Dwarves, demanding that they return the escaped slaves. The king, being a Paladin of Moradin, refused, even though Ghurat’s representatives implied that by refusing, the city would incur the wrath of the powerful Dao. This would mark the beginning of the Stonefire War. Ghurat would soon send an army to attack Tanthalthud, to retrieve his Svirfneblin, and to punish the Dwarves. The Dwarves and Svirfneblin fought back, and the two sides soon fought each other to a stalemate. Ghurat had the advantage when combat was on the Elemental Plane of Earth, and the Dwarves of Tanthulthud had the advantage when combat was on the Material Plane. Fifty years into the conflict, King Cael Dragonaxe forged an alliance with the Azer of the Elemental Plane of Fire that would tip the war in favor of the Dwarves. Within two years of this, the Dwarven-Svirfneblin-Azer alliance would defeat Ghurat, killing the mighty Dao. Once more, in the wake of war, Tanthulthud would impose upon itself a state of isolation. And, once more, hundreds of years would pass without incident. During this stretch of time, the city would continue expanded to encompass more of Underdark below the Blackroot Mountains. According to Dwarven historians, this period, which lasted from approximately UC –4,500 to UC –1,500, was the ‘Golden Age of Tanthulthud’. It was an unparalleled era of prosperity for the Dwarves, where much was accomplished. In UC –3,500, the Runehall was created. In UC–1,515 Jenya Stonecutter was installed as the newest Queen of Tanthulthud. She would be they city-state’s last monarch. For fifteen years, like her predecessors, she would have a peaceful rule, and she would be a benevolent ruler. In UC –1,500, tragedy struck. An avid astronomer, Queen Jenya was fond of gazing upon the stars using a magical telescope that she had commissioned. One particular night, she gazed upon a star that somehow seemed different from the others. Upon further scrutiny, she realized that the light was not a star, bur rather, that it was actually some sort of Far Realms entity that manifested within itself a portal to its alien world. With this knowledge, her mind snapped and she went insane. Luckily enough for the residents of Tanthalthud, she regained her lucidity quickly enough to commit suicide, to prevent herself, in a manic state, from making some kind of insane proclamation that the Dwarven residents would carry out because of their love and loyalty to their ruler. A rarity among Dwarves, Queen Jenya had given birth to a set of twin boys, Belgin and Meldorn. Only the queen and her wet nurse knew which among the two was the eldest, and neither was among the living any longer. Upon her death, one of the two boys was to become King of Tanthulthud. Instead, however, the two brothers decided that they would rule the city jointly. In –1,450, after the 50-year period of mourning ended, the two became the joint rulers of the city-state. The rigors and pressures of politics would, within a few decades, cause a rift between the two brothers that would spark one of the darkest eras of Tanthulthud’s history. During their rule, at some point, Prince Meldorn became jealous of his brother, the more personable and charismatic of the two, who he perceived to be receiving more attention and praise for their joint rule. However their strange relationship began, the prince began actively plotting with Falshahannaheen, a Deep Dragon, to remove his brother from the picture and rule the Dwarven city-state by himself. In UC –1,445, ministers loyal to Prince Belgin learned of the plot before Prince Meldorn could go through with it, and alerted him. The two brothers marshaled their loyal forces, and came to blows. The conflict would erupt into a civil war, colloquially known as the Bloodstone Wars. The Bloodstone Wars lasted for seven long years. The conflict pit brother against brother, father against son, sister against sister, mother against sister, and tore the city at its foundations. In the climactic ending of the war, the city literally had its foundations collapsed. In –1,438, the two brothers were personally leading their forces in a battle taking place in Tanthulthud’s lower levels, a battle that Falshahannaheen was participating in. Prince Meldorn had set up a trap, in which stonefire bombs would explode, causing parts of the cavern to collapse on his enemies. During the battle, a Svirfneblin magician cast a powerful Dispel Magic spell on him, as a means of negating his stoneskin. He suddenly realized that he had been affected by a powerful charm, and was being played by the Deep Dragon. Heroically, he confronted his former partner, and after warning as many as his subjects away- including his brother- was able to cause the lower levels of the city that they were fighting on to collapse. Prince Meldorn sacrificed himself to take down Falshahannaheen and restore peace to Tanthulthud. When the dust settled, and Prince Belgin learned of his brother’s heroic sacrifice, he went into mourning. Appalled at his own behavior, he resolved to exile himself from the city as penance. As his last act as monarch, he appointed a Council of Clans to govern the city. Along with a small honor guard of soldiers bound to him for life, Prince Belgin Stonecutter disappeared into the Underdark, where he was never heard from again. After the 50-year period of mourning ended, the Council of Clans began the arduous process of picking up the pieces, literally. Among the first proclamations of the Council of Clans was to begin cleaning up the lower levels of the city-state that had been ruined during the conflict, and the founding of the Cavern of Perpetual Song. The process of restoring the war-ravaged levels of the city takes centuries. In UC –859, the city is finally fully restored. Completing this mammoth task gave the people of the city-state a large morale boost, and Tanthulthud shortly found itself booming, economically. Forges that had been lost were re-lit. Mines that had been lost were harvested once more. Families and workers who had been displaced were restored. The Council of Clans decreed that Tanthulthud would increase exports to the surface world by a substantial margin. The economic boom would not last forever, however. Gradually, the demand for Dwarven-craft items fell, and with it, the prosperity that hit the city. At the same time, perhaps related, the population of the city itself began to decline. Over the next few centuries, the population of Tanthulthud would begin dropping slowly but steadily. Many of the lower levels of the city that had been recovered for work or living were abandoned, no longer needed. In UC 620, the Council of Elders formed an exploratory scouting mission to venture into the Underdark to see if the tunnels that Olam Turnstone, a geographer and cartographer, claimed existed were in fact real. According to Turnstone, there existed tunnels in the Underdark that linked the Blackroot Mountains to the Eukathom Mountains, on the island of Nilgoav. After a year of traveling the paths hypothesized by the geographer and cartographer, the expedition finds itself on Nilgoav Island. While a smaller group retraces their steps, to alert the Council of Clans of their success, the majority of the party stays on the island, settling in the abandoned ruins of Kella-Thus. There, shortly thereafter, they discovered dreamstone, and made their first forays into the Plane of Dreams. In UC 614, the Council of Clans decided that it would not establish a colony on Nilgoav Island to mine the rare ores found in the Eukathom Mountains, because doing so would not be cost effective. Those Dwarves who had already settled on the island were to return to Tanthulthud. Disturbingly, most who had been living on the island had become “slaves” to the Plane of Dreams, because of their regular use of dreamstone. Most ignore the summons, and rescind their citizenship to the Dwarven nation, choosing instead to stay on the island and form their own city-state, Khajadûn. Since then, the Dwarves have been content to simply stay in their halls, unsure of their futures, in the twilight between isolation and interaction with the rest of the world.